My blog was so timely that a few days
later, the L.A. Times published the article “It's time to serve up some
big incentives to curb obesity” (To read the full article go to http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120515,0,1949780.column)
Here are some quotations from the
article:
“To combat the alarming obesity rate, the Institute of Medicine says
the U.S. needs to overhaul everything from farm policies to zoning laws.
Clearly, doing nothing isn't an option. Americans
eat too damn much. And we all pay a rising cost for this gluttony in the form
of higher insurance premiums and lost productivity. A study last year by the
Society of Actuaries calculated the total economic cost of an overweight
and obese population in the United States and Canada at about $300 billion a
year (with 90% of that figure attributable to America's dietary issues).”
“We need to acknowledge that
much of what we put in our mouths is very bad for us and accept new rules
intended to foster healthful behavior and discourage the endless noshing that's
turning us into a herd of porkers.”
David Lazarus, the author of the
article, proposes some ideas. For example:
“First, we should limit the
marketing of fast food and junk food to kids. Young people are just not in a
position to make wise choices when it comes to sweets and treats. It's foolish
to believe otherwise. Just as parents were outraged by the idea of a Joe Camel
trying to make cigarettes look cool to youngsters, they should be equally upset
with all manner of colorful characters hawking everything from sugary breakfast
cereals to corn-syrup-sweetened sodas.”
He goes further and proposes a cigarette-style tax on such foods and beverages, with the proceeds going toward obesity research and wellness programs. And higher insurance rates for overweight people.
He goes further and proposes a cigarette-style tax on such foods and beverages, with the proceeds going toward obesity research and wellness programs. And higher insurance rates for overweight people.
I think these are fantastic ideas.
Here is my crazy idea: a parenting license.
After all, for almost everything else you need a license or a certification,
from driving a car to being a nurse, from getting married to being a
contractor. Even baristas at Starbucks and “hamburgeristas” at McDonalds need
to go through a specific training.
Why is it that the most difficult job
on earth requires no training, zero, none, nada?
Part of the license process can be
training on healthy nutrition. For those “non-licensed” parents, higher taxes
to pay for all the mistakes they will make and all the fixing that will have to
be done, with tax-payers money, of course.
So, get a license, or get a pet.
What do you think?
Daniel Adatto, Licensed Parent # 00-0000-01
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